Alright, so how many of you collected baseball cards as kids? I know I did. In fact, most of my vaunted collection is still packed away in several large Rubbermaid containers, taking up half of my closet space!

So for those of us familiar with the hobby, this isn’t the greatest HOF pool ever. Most of these guys (with the exceptions of McGwire and Mattingly) weren’t the kind of dudes you wanted to pull out of your brand new pack of cards. I remember the feeling well…

What’s that? I got a serial numbered, autographed insert card? Yes! (Flips card over) Eric Karros!!?!?!?! Son of a #@$^*!

Yeah, those were the days. And the naughty words that drew looks from my mother. Anyway, here’s my over-under on a pair of players who weren’t exactly hobby gold.

Barry Larkin

Before beginning his superb television career as a member of the MLB Network, Barry Larkin was a pretty decent ballplayer. Often referred to as “The last of a dieing breed” because of his career-long tenure with a single team, Larkin was the face of Ohio baseball for nearly two decades. Possessing surprising power for an middle infielder, he managed to belt 198 home runs over 19 big-league seasons. Looking over his individual statistics, one may be a little underwhelmed, however. A batting averaging of .295, 2,340 hits, 960 RBI, and 379 stolen bases are respectable totals. But are they good enough for the Hall?

Bullet: His Trophy Case

Take a look at Larkin’s list of All-Star Selections and Awards. Nine Sliver Sluggers, 12 All-Star berths, three Gold Gloves, and a selection as the 1995 NL MVP. While his cumulative stats may be slightly under normal selection standards, the obvious respect in which he was held by voters cannot be ignored. If Barry is to get into Cooperstown, it’ll be on the strength of his reputation.

Ray Lankford

Ray Lankford’s baseball cards were the type that appeared under the “Semi-star” listing, worth only a few cents more than the common set fillers. In keeping with his tradition of statistical mediocrity, Ray has become a face in the crowd on the 2010 ballot. 1,561 career hits, 238 home runs, and 874 RBI’s do not a Hall of Famer make. He strikes me as one of those solid players who floats around the big leagues for more than a decade (which he did), who should be proud of his career, the memories he has and the money he made, but should never, ever be considered for baseball immortality. Make no mistake, Ray Lankford and his fellows are the backbone of MLB, what makes the game run and survive. But they’re just not meant for Cooperstown.

Bullet: .272 batting average

When paired with his 238 home runs, it’s just not enough to keep him in the running. Sorry, Ray, the stats just don’t add up.

- Taylor Maxwell

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tags | Barry Larkin, baseball cards, Ray Lankford